Undergraduate

Geology

Geology is an applied science that aims to understand all aspects of our planet, ranging from the Earth's surface to the deep interior.
75
ATAR
Course Details Careers & further study Fees & Scholarships Admission requirements How to apply Contact us Enquire Apply

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Address

Student Central

The University of Western Australia (M355), 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009

Telephone

131 UWA (131 892)

International

(+61 8) 6488 1000

Email

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Hours

8.30am - 5pm AWST, Monday - Friday

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Careers and further study

This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career opportunities.

Career Pathways

Career opportunities are diverse and include the resources industries (e.g. minerals, petroleum, groundwater) or research fields such as planetary geology, volcano or earthquake hazard prediction. Additional career opportunities exist in government agencies dealing with resources or environmental consultancies and agencies. Many graduates continue to develop their specialist skills in industry or government agencies around the world, while others join academic institutions.

Career Pathways

Career opportunities are diverse and include the resources industries (e.g. minerals, petroleum, groundwater) or research fields such as planetary geology, volcano or earthquake hazard prediction. Additional career opportunities exist in government agencies dealing with resources or environmental consultancies and agencies. Many graduates continue to develop their specialist skills in industry or government agencies around the world, while others join academic institutions.

Further Study

Honours in Geology provides you with an opportunity to undertake coursework units with direct application to important resources in Western Australia as well as a research project. As a graduate you will be well positioned for career opportunities in the resources industries (e.g. energy, mineral deposits and groundwater) and environmental fields. The honours specialisation will strengthen and expand the knowledge and skills you gained during your undergraduate degree and will provide experience in completing a major research project, which requires high-level scientific writing and oral presentation skills. An honours degree may also lead you to the completion of a higher degree by research and further career opportunities in industry, university, or government research organisations. The Bachelor of Science with a major in Geology is recognised by the Australian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (AusIMM). Students undertaking this course may be eligible for bursaries and scholarships offered by the AusIMM, and are eligible to apply for membership on completion of their degree.

Further Study

Honours in Geology provides you with an opportunity to undertake coursework units with direct application to important resources in Western Australia as well as a research project. As a graduate you will be well positioned for career opportunities in the resources industries (e.g. energy, mineral deposits and groundwater) and environmental fields. The honours specialisation will strengthen and expand the knowledge and skills you gained during your undergraduate degree and will provide experience in completing a major research project, which requires high-level scientific writing and oral presentation skills. An honours degree may also lead you to the completion of a higher degree by research and further career opportunities in industry, university, or government research organisations. The Bachelor of Science with a major in Geology is recognised by the Australian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (AusIMM). Students undertaking this course may be eligible for bursaries and scholarships offered by the AusIMM, and are eligible to apply for membership on completion of their degree.

Fees and scholarships

Learn more about the fees that apply to you for this course. For fee type definitions and further assistance, see the Fee Calculator Help page. You can also search our database for scholarships that are relevant to you or this course

Domestic Student Fees

For Commonwealth-supported places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit, based on area of study. For a fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator and select “I want to price my units”. Fees are subject to annual indexation. Refer to the Handbook to identify the units required. More information on how fees are calculated.

Fee calculator

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

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Cost of living

There are a few things to consider before applying to study at university. One could be your cost of living. This can depend on factors such as lifestyle, accommodation, tuition fees, medical insurance, textbooks and more. For an indication of expenses and average costs, see our Cost of living page.

Cost of living

Admission requirements

The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers. If you’re interested in studying one of these majors, find out the admission details below. 

Minimum entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements

Below you’ll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).

Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65
  • 75.5
Monash University Foundation Year
  • 254
South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)
  • 324
Trinity College Foundation
  • 280
University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program
  • 61
Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP)
  • 56
Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards
  • 75
Below you’ll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).
Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65
  • 75.5
Monash University Foundation Year
  • 254
South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)
  • 324
Trinity College Foundation
  • 280
University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program
  • 61
Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP)
  • 56
Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards
  • 75
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Admission requirements

For applicants with recent secondary education, information on admission criteria is available on our entry requirements page or on the UWA Handbook for course specific requirements and prerequisites.

Admission requirements

ADMISSION REQUIREMENT

English competency

English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.

Minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENT

English competency

How to apply

The application process to this course is different for the assured and graduate entry pathways, and for international and domestic applicants.

Refer to the below regarding application processes for each of the pathways . More information regarding admission requirements and prerequisites for each pathway can be found on the 'Admission Requirements' tab.

Domestic Pathways

  • Domestic Assured Pathway/School Leaver Entry: Applications are lodged via TISC. Refer to TISC Online for current course codes and application deadlines. 
  • Domestic Graduate Entry: Applications are lodged via GEMSAS, which open and close in accordance with the GEMSAS timeline. All domestic applicants must submit a valid GAMSAT score by the application closing date.

International Pathways

Course details

Do you want to know more about our planet? Geology students learn about how applying knowledge of Earth's processes and time scales is fundamental to locating resources such as groundwater, petroleum and minerals, and understanding climate and other environmental changes. As most of Australia's mineral and petroleum resources are in Western Australia, UWA is the ideal place to study geology.

 

About the course

A major in Geology involves the study of how the Earth formed and evolved during the past 4.4 billion years, including the origin of continents, oceans, atmosphere and life, and how natural processes deep within Earth's interior shape the surface on which we live.
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About the course

Knowing how our planet works through study of ancient and modern processes is increasingly important for discovery and management of natural resource and predicting future changes in the Earth system. You'll learn to interpret geological processes and Earth history, and discover the formation of important resources and how climate and environments change through time. Teaching consists of lectures from leading experts and industry professionals, computer and laboratory classes, and tutorials. This course includes extensive fieldwork, with several field trips. UWA is well equipped for teaching and research in geology, with access to some of the world's most advanced analytical equipment and super-computing facilities.
Geology

Quick details

Status
  • Available
Locations
  • Perth (Crawley campus)
  • Albany (Regional campus)
Attendance
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
Delivery
  • On-campus
Starting dates
  • Semester 1, Semester 2
Weekly contact time
  • 18-24 hours contact time, plus your own study time
Level of study
  • Undergraduate
Course Code
  • MJD-GEOGY
Full time/part time duration
  • 3 years (BSc), 4 years (BSc[Hons])
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Geology

Quick details

Status
  • Available
Locations
  • Perth (Crawley campus)
  • Albany (Regional campus)
Attendance
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
Delivery
  • On-campus
Starting dates
  • Semester 1, Semester 2
Weekly contact time
  • 18-24 hours contact time, plus your own study time
Level of study
  • Undergraduate
Course Code
  • MJD-GEOGY
Full time/part time duration
  • 3 years (BSc), 4 years (BSc[Hons])
Honours Available
  • Yes
Degrees course is available in
  • Bachelor of Science
  • Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

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Course Structure

Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.

Popular combinations

Archaeology Archaeology Environmental Science Environmental Science Finance Finance

Course structure details

Course structure details Other combinations
Ranked 49th in the world for Geology (QS 2025)

Your degree options

This major is offered as a degree-specific, or first, major for these degrees. It is also offered as a second major in our other bachelor's degrees.